rj.eyeoftheworld-第121部分

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　　　　　　　〃It　isn't　anything；〃　he　said；　but　Moiraine　put　a　hand　under　his　chin　and　turned　his　face　up　so　she　could　peer　into　his　eyes　the　way　Nynaeve　had。　He　jerked　away；　prickling。　The　two　women　were　handling　him　as　if　he　were　a　child。　〃I　said　it　isn't　anything。〃
　　　　　　　〃There　was　no　foretelling　this。〃　Moiraine　spoke　as　if　to　herself。　Her　eyes　seemed　to　look　at　something　beyond　him。　〃Something　ordained　to　be　woven；　or　a　change　in　the　Pattern？　If　a　change；　by　what　hand？　The　Wheel　weaves　as　the　Wheel　wills。　It　must　be　that。〃
　　　　　　　〃Do　you　know　what　it　is？〃　Nynaeve　asked　reluctantly；　then　hesitated。　〃Can　you　do　something　for　him？　Your　Healing？〃　The　request　for　aid；　the　admission　that　she　could　do　nothing；　came　out　of　her　as　if　dragged。
　　　　　　　Perrin　glared　at　both　the　women。　〃If　you're　going　to　talk　about　me；　talk　to　me。　I'm　sitting　right　here。　〃　Neither　looked　at　him。
　　　　　　　〃Healing？〃　Moiraine　smiled。　〃Healing　can　do　nothing　about　this。　It　is　not　an　illness；　and　it　will　not　。。。〃　She　hesitated　briefly。　She　did　glance　at　Perrin；　then；　a　quick　look　that　regretted　many　things。　The　look　did　not　include　him；　though；　and　he　muttered　sourly　as　she　turned　back　to　Nynaeve。　〃I　was　going　to　say　it　will　not　harm　him；　but　who　can　say　what　the　end　will　be？　At　least　I　can　say　it　will　not　harm　him　directly。〃
　　　　　　　Nynaeve　stood；　dusting　off　her　knees；　and　confronted　the　Aes　Sedai　eye　to　eye。　〃That's　not　good　enough。　If　there's　something　wrong　with　…〃
　　　　　　　〃What　is；　is。　What　is　woven　already　is　past　changing。〃　Moiraine　turned　away　abruptly。　〃We　must　sleep　while　we　can　and　leave　at　first　light。　If　the　Dark　One's　hand　grows　too　strong　。。。　We　must　reach　Caemlyn　quickly。〃
　　　　　　　Angrily；　Nynaeve　snatched　up　her　bag　and　stalked　off　before　Perrin　could　speak。　He　started　to　growl　an　oath；　but　a　thought　hit　him　like　a　blow　and　he　sat　there　gaping　silently。　Moiraine　knew。　The　Aes　Sedai　knew　about　the　wolves。　And　she　thought　it　could　be　the　Dark　One's　doing。　A　shiver　ran　through　him。　Hastily　he　shrugged　back　into　his　shirt；　tucking　it　in　awkwardly；　and　pulled　his　coat　and　cloak　back　on。　The　clothing　did　not　help　very　much；　he　felt　chilled　right　down　to　his　bones；　his　marrow　like　frozen　jelly。
　　　　　　　Lan　dropped　to　the　ground　cross…legged；　tossing　back　his　cloak。　Perrin　was　glad　of　that。　It　was　unpleasant；　looking　at　the　Warder　and　having　his　eyes　slide　past。
　　　　　　　For　a　long　moment　they　simply　stared　at　one　another。　The　hard　planes　of　the　Warder's　face　were　unreadable；　but　in　his　eyes　Perrin　thought　he　saw　something。　Sympathy？　Curiosity？　Both？
　　　　　　　〃You　know？〃　he　said；　and　Lan　nodded。
　　　　　　　〃I　know　some；　not　all。　Did　it　just　e　to　you；　or　did　you　meet　a　guide；　an　intermediary？〃
　　　　　　　〃There　was　a　man；〃　Perrin　said　slowly。　He　knows；　but　does　he　think　the　same　as　Moiraine？　〃He　said　his　name　was　Elyas。　Elyas　Machera。〃　Lan　drew　a　deep　breath；　and　Perrin　looked　at　him　sharply。　〃You　know　him？〃
　　　　　　　〃I　knew　him。　He　taught　me　much；　about　the　Blight；　and　about　this。〃　Lan　touched　his　sword　hilt。　〃He　was　a　Warder；　before　。。。　before　what　happened。　The　Red　Ajah　。。。〃　He　glanced　to　where　Moiraine　was；　lying　before　the　fire。
　　　　　　　It　was　the　first　time　Perrin　could　remember　any　uncertainty　in　the　Warder。　At　Shadar　Logoth　Lan　had　been　sure　and　strong；　and　when　he　was　facing　Fades　and　Trollocs。　He　was　not　afraid　now　…　Perrin　was　convinced　of　that　…　but　he　was　wary；　as　if　he　might　say　too　much。　As　if　what　he　said　could　be　dangerous。
　　　　　　　〃I've　heard　of　the　Red　Ajah；〃　he　told　Lan。
　　　　　　　〃And　most　of　what　you've　heard　is　wrong；　no　doubt。　You　must　understand；　there　are　。。。　factions　within　Tar　Valon。　Some　would　fight　the　Dark　One　one　way；　some　another。　The　goal　is　the　same；　but　the　differences　。。。　the　differences　can　mean　lives　changed；　or　ended。　The　lives　of　men　or　nations。　He　is　well；　Elyas？〃
　　　　　　　〃I　think　so。　The　Whitecloaks　said　they　killed　him；　but　Dapple　…　〃　Perrin　glanced　at　the　Warder　unfortably。　〃I　don't　know。〃　Lan　seemed　to　accept　that　he　did　not；　reluctantly；　and　it　emboldened　him　to　go　on。　〃This　municating　with　the　wolves。　Moiraine　seems　to　think　it's　something　the　。。。　something　the　Dark　One　did。　It　isn't；　is　it？〃　He　would　not　believe　Elyas　was　a　Darkfriend。
　　　　　　　But　Lan　hesitated；　and　sweat　started　on　Perrin's　face；　chill　beads　made　colder　by　the　night。　They　were　sliding　down　his　cheeks　by　the　time　the　Warder　spoke。
　　　　　　　〃Not　in　itself；　no。　Some　believe　it　is；　but　they　are　wrong；　it　was　old　and　lost　long　before　the　Dark　One　was　found。　But　what　of　the　chance　involved；　blacksmith？　Sometimes　the　Pattern　has　a　randomness　to　it　…　to　our　eyes；　at　least　…　but　what　chance　that　you　should　meet　a　man　who　could　guide　you　in　this　thing；　and　you　one　who　could　follow　the　guiding？　The　Pattern　is　forming　a　Great　Web；　what　some　call　the　Lace　of　Ages；　and　you　lads　are　central　to　it。　I　don't　think　there　is　much　chance　left　in　your　lives；　now。　Have　you　been　chosen　out；　then？　And　if　so；　by　the　Light；　or　by　the　Shadow？〃
　　　　　　　〃The　Dark　One　can't　touch　us　unless　we　name　him。〃　Immediately　Perrin　thought　of　the　dreams　of　Ba'alzamon；　the　dreams　that　were　more　than　dreams。　He　scrubbed　the　sweat　off　his　face。　〃He　can't。〃
　　　　　　　〃Rock…hard　stubborn；〃　the　Warder　mused。　〃Maybe　stubborn　enough　to　save　yourself；　in　the　end。　Remember　the　times　we　live　in；　blacksmith。　Remember　what　Moiraine　Sedai　told　you。　In　these　times　many　things　are　dissolving；　and　breaking　apart。　Old　barriers　weaken；　old　walls　crumble。　The　barriers　between　what　is　and　what　was；　between　what　is　and　what　will　be。〃　His　voice　turned　grim。　〃The　walls　of　the　Dark　One's　prison。　This　may　be　the　end　of　an　Age。　We　may　see　a　new　Age　born　before　we　die。　Or　perhaps　it　is　the　end　of　Ages；　the　end　of　time　itself。　The　end　of　the　world。〃　Suddenly　he　grinned；　but　his　grin　was　as　dark　as　a　scowl；　his　eyes　sparkled　merrily；　laughing　at　the　foot　of　the　gallows。　〃But　that's　not　for　us　to　worry　about；　eh；　blacksmith？　We'll　fight　the　Shadow　as　long　as　we　have　breath；　and　if　it　overruns　us；　we'll　go　under　biting　and　clawing。　You　Two　Rivers　folk　are　too　stubborn　to　surrender。　Don't　you　worry　whether　the　Dark　One　has　stirred　in　your　life。　You　are　back　among　friends；　now。　Remember；　the　Wheel　weaves　as　the　Wheel　wills；　and　even　the　Dark　One　cannot　change　that；　not　with　Moiraine　to　watch　over　you。　But　we　had　better　find　your　friends　soon。〃
　　　　　　　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　　　　　　　〃They　have　no　Aes　Sedai　touching　the　True　Source　to　protect　them。　Blacksmith；　perhaps　the　walls　have　weakened　enough　for　the　Dark　One　himself　to　touch　events。　Not　with　a　free　hand；　or　we'd　be　done　already；　but　maybe　tiny　shiftings　in　the　threads。　A　chance　turning　of　one　corner　instead　of　another；　a　chance　meeting；　a　chance　word；　or　what　seems　like　chance；　and　they　could　be　so　far　under　the　Shadow　not　even　Moiraine　could　bring　them　back。〃
　　　　　　　〃We　have　to　find　them；〃　Perrin　said；　and　the　Warder　gave　a　grunt　of　a　laugh。
　　　　　　　〃What　have　I　been　saying？　Get　some　sleep；　blacksmith。〃　Lan's　cloak　swung　back　around　him　as　he　stood。　In　the　faint　light　from　fire　and　moon　he　seemed　almost　part　of　the　shadows　beyond。　〃We　have　a　hard　few　days　to　Caemlyn。　Just　you　pray　we　find　them　there。〃
　　　　　　　〃But　Moiraine　。。。　she　can　find　them　anywhere；　can't　she？　She　says　she　can。〃
　　　　　　　〃But　can　she　find　them　in　time？　If　the　Dark　One　is　strong　enough　to　take　a　hand　himself；　time　is　running　out。　You　pray　we　find　them　in　Caemlyn；　blacksmith；　or　we　may　all　be　lost。〃

Chapter　39
Weaving　of　the　Web
　
　　　　　　　Rand　looked　down　on　the　crowds　from　the　high　window　of　his　room　in　The　Queen's　Blessing。　They　ran　shouting　along　the　street；　all　streaming　in　the　same　direction；　waving　pennants　and　banners；　the　white　lion　standing　guard　on　a　thousand　fields　of　red。　Caemlyners　and　outlanders；　they　ran　together；　and　for　a　change　no　one　appeared　to　want　to　bash　anyone　else's　head。　Today；　maybe；　there　was　only　one　faction。
　　　　　　　He　turned　from　the　window　grinning。　Next　to　the　day　when　Egwene　and　Perrin　walked　in；　alive　and　laughing　over　what　they　had　seen；　this　was　the　day　he　had　been　waiting　for　most。
　　　　　　　〃Are　you　ing？〃　he　asked　again。
　　　　　　　Mat　glowered　from　where　he　lay　curled　up　in　a　ball　on　his　bed。　〃Take　that　Trolloc　you're　so　friendly　with。〃
　　　　　　　〃Blood　and　ashes；　Mat；　he's　not　a　Trolloc。　You're　just　being　stubborn　stupid。　How　many　times　do　you　want　to　have　this　argument？　Light；　it's　not　as　if　you'd　never　heard　of　Ogier　before。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　never　heard　they　looked　like　Trollocs。〃　Mat　pushed　his　face　into　his　pillow　and　curled　himself　tighter。
　　　　　　　〃Stubborn　stupid；〃　Rand　muttered。　〃How　long　are　you　going　to　hide　up　here？　I'm　not　going　to　keep　bringing　you　your　meals　up　all　those　stairs　forever。　You　could　do　with　a　bath；　too。〃　Mat　shrugged　around　on　the　bed　as　if　he　were　trying　to　burrow　deeper　into　it。　Rand　sighed；　then　went　to　the　door。　〃Last　chance　to　go　together；　Mat。　I'm　leaving　now。〃　He　closed　the　door　slowly；　hoping　that　Mat　would　change　his　mind；　but　his　friend　did　not　stir。　The　door　clicked　shut。
　　　　　　　In　the　hallway；　he　leaned　against　the　doorframe。　Master　Gill　said　there　was　an　old　woman　two　streets　over；　Mother　Grubb；　who　sold　herbs　and　poultices；　besides　birthing　babies；　tending　the　sick；　and　telling　fortunes。　She　sounded　a　little　like　a　Wisdom。　Nynaeve　was　who　Mat　needed；　or　maybe　Moiraine；　but　Mother　Grubb　was　who　he　had。　Bringing　her　to　The　Queen's　Blessing　might　bring　the　wrong　kind　of　attention　as　well；　though；　if　she　would　even　e。　For　her　as　well　as　for　Mat　and　him。
　　　　　　　Herbalists　and　hedge…doctors　were　lying　low　in　Caemlyn　right　now；　there　was　talk　against　anyone　who　did　any　kind　of　healing；　or　fortunetelling。　Every　night　the　Dragon's　Fang　was　scrawled　on　doors　with　a　free　hand；　sometimes　even　in　the　daylight；　and　people　might　forget　who　had　cured　their　fevers　and　poulticed　their　toothaches　when　the　cry　of　Darkfriend　went　up。　That　was　the　temper　in　the　city。
　　　　　　　It　was　not　as　if　Mat　were　really　sick。　He　ate　everything　Rand　carried　up　from　the　kitchen　…　he　would　take　nothing　from　anyone　else's　hand；　though　…　and　never　plained　about　aches　or　fever。　He　just　refused　to　leave　the　room。　But　Rand　had　been　sure　today　would　bring　him　out。
　　　　　　　He　settled　his　cloak　on　his　shoulders　and　hitched　his　sword　belt　around　so　the　sword；　and　the　red　cloth　wrapped